Intercommunicating telephone system.



910,794,790. PATENT-9D JULY 1s, 1995. A. s. DE VEAU 9 o. AUTH.

INTERGOMMUNICATING TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1902.

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No. 794,790. PATBNTED JULY 1s, 1905. A. s. DE VBAU @L o. AUTH. INTBRCOMMUNIGATING TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEP'LZ, 1902.

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INTERCOMMUNICATING TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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` WITNES? INVENTORS ATTORNEY IUNTTED STATES Patented. July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT S. DE VEAU, OF NEW YORK, AND CHARLES AUTH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

INTERCONIIVIUNICATING TELEPHONE SYSTEM.i

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,790, dated July 18, 1905.

To all 1,071,017@ it Trui/y concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT S. DE VEAU, residing in the borough of Manhattan, and CHARLES AUTH, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, and State of New York, citizens of the United State's, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Tntercommunicating Telephone Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to intercommunicating telephones in which telephonie communication maybe had between a plurality of stations without the intervention of a telephone-exchange or central office.

Our invention has for its objects simplicity of construction and operation, certainty and reliability of operation, and the provision of improved means for establishing secret communication between two stations of a plurality of stations with which intcrcommunication may be had.

WeV will now describe the constructions of telephone apparatus and circuits embodying our invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will thereafter point out our invention in claims.

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a desktelephone instrument.embodying our invention on planes of section indicated by the line 1 l, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an underneath view of the same with the casing partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section of the same on the line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on a plane indicated by the line 4 4, Fig. l, showing the normal position of the sliding connector-plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the engaging position of such plate. Fig. 6 is a diagram of the circuits and apparatus. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a wall-telephone instrument of modified construction. Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section of the same on the line 8 8, Fig. 7.

The transmitter 'v and the receiver w may be of any usual or suitable construction. In the desk instrument, as shown in Figs. l to 5, inclusive, the receiver w is supported upon a standard f, which is supported on a base, the

base being shown as composed of two parts-a cup-shaped bottom part d and top plate dthese parts being secured together by a bridge-piece c, clamped underneath the top plate by screws and having a threaded neck over which the cup-screw e is screwed, this cup-screw' c/ having a head which engages with and holds the cup-shaped bottom part in place. The standardfrests upon the top plate d and is held thereto by the screws which clamp the bridge-piece c in place.

" The receiver hook or lever g is pivoted on lugs f2 of the standard j' and has contactmaking proj ections to be hereinafter described and also has an inwardlyprojecting yoked arm, this yoked arm engaging between collars ona vertical releasing-rod L. The releasing- Yrod 7L has a limited vertical movement, being guided at its upper end in a plugt' in the standard and at its lower end in the bridge-piece c and serves as a part of the actuating means for the sliding connector-plate, being provided at -its lower end with a conical enlargement or collar h', against which works the inner end of a connecting-lever which lever is pivoted upon a stud extending downward from the base of the bridge-piece e and has an outer arm bearing against a projection or stud m extending downward from the sliding connector-plate m. This connector-plate m is of conductive material and is in the form of a segment of a ring or annulus and is tted to slide circumferentially and is provided with an adjustable controlling-spring m2, which tends always to press the stud m against the outer end of the connecting-lever and thereby to press the inner end of said lever against the conical enlargement t/ of the vertical releasing-rod h, and the connector-plate m will be held thereby in the normal position shown until the releasing-rod h is depressed, and thereby the inner end of the lever permitted to move toward the rod h and the connectorplate to be shifted into engaging position.

The connector-plate m coacts with a plurality of push-buttons, of which nine are provided in the construction shown in Figs. l to 4, inclusive, eight of these buttons, from b to c, inclusive, each serving to call and connect with one other station of the system and the push-button coacting with a corresponding button at another station to establish a secret connection with such station. Each of these push-buttons projects upwardly through a perforation in the top plate d of the base, and the upper part of the push-button,which comes in contact with such top plate, is of insulating material, and each push-button has a stem of conductive material the lower end of which slides in and is guided by the lower guide-plate o and has a bowed retractingj spring r, secured at its lower end to the guideplate o and bearing at its upper end against a shoulder on the stem of the push-button, and each of these push-buttons is normally held by its spring r in the normal and upper position shown, but may be depressed manually to bring its spring r into contact with the common call-plate s. This call-plate s is of conductive material and is secured upon the guide-plate o at the upper face thereof, the guide-plate o being of insulating material. The call-plate s is a single conductive plate of sulicient length to include all of the call and connecting push-buttons c, &c., and the depression of any call and connecting push-button will bring its s ring 1 into contact with this call-plate and close the call-circuit of the station corresponding to that push-button, as will be hereinafter explained. The stem of each push-button is clear of contact with the call-plate s and with the portion of the retracting-spring r which is secured against the lower face of the insulating guide-plate o,

both the call-plate s and the spring r having' perforations sufficientlylarge to clear the stem of the push-button, as shown in Fig. 2. The stem of each push-button is provided with a conical enlargement or collar which provides an inclined shoulder in the direction of the thrust of the button when manually operated and a flat shoulder against the return movement by the retracting-spring, and the sliding connector-plate m has a slot corresponding to each button, this slot having conical walls adapted to coact with the conical enlargement t of the corresponding button. When the connector-plate m is in the normal position in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the walls of each slot areout of the path of the conical enlargement t of each button, (see Fig. 4,) and when a button is depressed the conical enlargement passes freely through the connector-plate.

In the operation of the instrument the button for the station with which connection is desired is first depressed. Thereafter the receiver w is removed from the receiver-lever g and the button released. When the receiver is removed from the receiver-lever, the actuating-spring of the receiver-lever elevates the outer end of the receiver-lever and depresses the inner end thereof, thereby lowering the releasing-rod h and permitting the connector-plate m to be moved by its spring m2 into engaging position, (see Fig. 5,) 'and in such position the plate fm will interpose a stop or shoulder to the return of the button to eXtreme upper position, and the button when released from eXtreme depressed position comes to rest with the upper face of its conical enlargement t bearing against the connector-plate m, thereby making electric contact therewith, and in this position the 'talking-circuit is closed for the station corresponding to the button. At the conclusion of the communication with the other station the receiver wis returned to the receiver-lever g and by its weight depresses the outer end thereof, thereby elevating the inner end thereof, and thereby raising the releasingrod h and its conical collar and forcing the connector-plate m to normal position (see Fig. 4) and releasing the button and permitting it to be raised by its spring r to normal position. With the receiver olf the hook and the connector-plate m in engaging position any button may be depressed, and the consequent movement of its conical enlargement t will actuate the connector-plate just sufficiently to permit the conical enlargement to pass below the connector-plate. Should the person at the calling-station desire to sever connection with the first called station and make connection with a second station, this operation will be performed by reason of the actuation of the connector-plate by thc button for this second station, the movement of the connector-plate to permit the second button to pass through the plate being sufficient to release the first button. Should it be desired, however, to retain a connection IOO with the first called station while talking with the second called station, it is only necessary to hold down the button of the first called station while depressing the button of the second station, as the connector-plate will be promptly returned by its spring to engaging position as soon as the conical enlargement of the second operated button has passed clear of it. This is true for any number of stations, and thus the person at the calling-station may maintain his connection with one or more stations while calling and talking with other stations, thereby permitting him to carry on conversations with several persons at the same time. Y The contact-making projections of the receiver hook or lever g are located above and IIO ceiver-l ever when the receiver is removed from the lever.

The secret button coacts with a plurality of contact-springs p, u, q, fn, and y, which are shown in the diagrammatic view Fig. 6, the springs n and y being normally in contact and the springs Q and u being normally in contact and the depression of this push-button opening these normal contacts and closing u upon The function of this secret button is to alter the connections of its station in such a manner as to make it impossible for a person at any other station than that with which its station is connected to listen to the conversation.

The instruments at each station will also include a call-bell z or a buzzer or other suitable instrument which will give a call or signal when the call-circuit of this station is closed at another station.

The circuits are fully shown in Fig. 6, and here the instruments are illustrated dia-` grammatically and all parts are shown in the normal position. Three stations are here illustrated, and three buttons are shown at each station, two calling and communicating buttons Z) c at station A, a c at station B, and a2 b2 at station C, and one secret button at each station and x2, respectively. An individual or home line-wire is provided for each station, the line-wire a for the station A, the line-wire b3 for the station B, and line-wire c3 for the station C. The other lines are the common call-battery line 11 and the common return-line 12, with which is connected the common call-battery 10. y Each station is shown as provided with a talkingbattery 7, 8, and 9, respectively. Should a person at station A desire to communicate with station B, he will actuate the button b at station A and will thereby close the callingcircuit from station A to station B as follows: from call-battery 10 by wires 11 20, callplate s, with which button l) is now in contact, spring r of button b, wire 19, home line b3 of station B, wire 18, contacts n y of the secret-button device of station B, wires 17 16, receiver-lever g, insulated plug c, wire 15, call-bell z, wire 14, contacts u q of the secret-button device of station B, wire 13, and common return-line 12 back to battery. The current flowing through this circuit will ring the call-bell z, and the circuit will remain closed so long as the button b is depressed and the receiver w of the called station B is on its hook. In the meantime the receiver w of the calling-station may be removed from its hook, and when the receiver w of the called station is removed from its hook and the button l) released and moved by its spring so that the conical enlargement t is pressed against the connector-plate m the following talking-circuit will be closed: from talking-battery 7 of station A through wire 21, connector plate m, spring r of button l), wire 19, home line b3 of station B, wire 18, contacts n and y of secret-button device at station B, wires 17 22, transmitter e, wire 23, receiver w, wires 24 14, contacts u g', wire 13, return-line 12, wire 25, contacts q and u of secret-button device of station A, wires 26 27, receiver w, wire 28, transmitter e, wire 29, contacts Z Z, and wire 3() back to battery.

A talking-circuit such as above described could of course be closed by removing the receiver w2 of station C from its hook, and so on for any number of stations, and should the persons at stations A and B desire to prevent any possible eavesdropping the person at the called station will press his call-button a and each will press his secret button and permit these buttons to be locked by the connector-plates, and thereby a secret talkingcircuit excluding all other lines will be closed as follows: from talking-battery 7 of station A by wire 21, connector-plate m, spring r of button b, wire 19, home line b3 of stationB, wire 18, contacts p and u of the secret-button device of station B, wires 14 24, receiver w', wire 23, transmitter e, wire 22, contacts l2 i3, wire 31, talking-battery8 of station B, wire 35, connector-plate m, spring 1 of button a, wire 36, home line a3 of station A, Wire 37, contacts p and u of secret-button 'device at station A, wires 26 27, receiver w,

wire 28, transmitter e, wire 29, contacts l Z and wire 30 back to talking-battery 7. This circuit is closed from station to station only through the home lines of the two stations, and all other instruments are therefore excluded. This circuit also includes the talking-batteries of both -stations and would therefore be a better talking-circuit which could be used if the return-line circuit first described did not give good results.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 our invention is applied to a wall instrument, and here the connectorplate m3 is of rectangular form, the secret button is omitted, and the instrument is adapted to call seven different stations, being provided with siX push-buttons, a b3 c3, &c. The receiver-lever g3 has a pivoted dog h2, adapted for engagement with the sliding connector-plate, and such connector-plate is normally held by its spring m in Aposition to 'engage with the conical enlargements t of the push-buttons, the adjustable screw-stop m determining such position. The pivoted dog h2 is held by thespring h3 against an adjustable stop r. When the receiver is removed from the hook or lever and the hook or lever elevated by the adjustable spring g2, the dog h2 rises into such position that in its ,downward movement it will engage with the projection m5 on the connector-plate m3 and will depress the plate sufliciently to cause the push-button to be released. A common call-plate s3 is provided, as in the constructiony heretofore described, and each pushbutton is controlled by a bowed retractingspring r3, as heretofore described. A callbell z3 is provided of usual construction.

It is obvious that various modiiications may be made in the constructions above described within the spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a plurality of telephone instruments located at different stations, a call-battery line and a return-line common to all of the stations, a home line for each station, a plurality of contact-making devices at each station each adapted to com plete a calling-circuit to one of the other stations through one of the home lines and the call-battery line and to complete a talking-circuit to such other station through one of the home lines and the common returnline, and additional contact devices for a plurality of such stations, such additional contact devices of' two stations which have been connected by the operation of one of the contact devices first mentioned controlling the connections of such stations so as to complete another talking circuit through the home lines of both connected stations.

2. The combination of a plurality of telephone instruments located at different stations, a line common to all of the stations, a home line for each station, a plurality of contact-making devices at each station each adapted to complete a talking-circuit to one of the other stations through the home line of such other station and the common line, and additional contact-making devices for a plurality of such stations, such additional contact devices of two stations which have been connected by the operation of one of the contact devices lirst mentioned controlling the connections of such stations so as to open the connection with the common line and to close connection with the home line of the calling-station and thereby complete a talking-circuit restricted to the two stations.

3. The combination of a plurality of telephone instruments located'at different stations, a call-battery line and a return-line common to all of the stations, a home line for each station, a plurality of contact-making devices at each station eachyadapted to complete a calling-circuit to one of the other stations through the home line of such other station and the call-battery line and to complete a talking-circuit to such other station through the home line of such other station and the common return-line, and additional contact devices for a plurality of such stations, such additional contact devices of two stations which have been connected by the operation of one of the contact devices 'first mentioned controlling the connections of such stations so as to open the connection connected to the home line of another station, additional contact devices for a plurality of such stations, each contact device and additional contact device adapted to be manually moved from normal position and automatically retracted to normal position, a common call-plate at each station with which the contact devices at the station are adapted to make contact when manually operated, a common movable connector-plate at each station adapted, when in engaging position, to engage such contact devices and additional contact devices during the retractive movements thereof and to lock such contact devices and additional contact devices and to make contact with such contact devices, and a receiver-hook at each station controlling the connector-plate thereof to move the same out of engaging position when the receiver is placed upon the hook,each contact device being adapted to complete a calling-circuit to one of the other stations through the common call-plate and one of the common lines and one of the home lines and to complete a talking-circuit to such other station through the movable connector-plate and one of the home lines and one of the common lines, and the additional contact devices of two stations which have been connected by the operation of one of the contact devices controlling the connections of such station so as to complete another talking-circuit through the home lines of both connected stations.

5. The combination of a plurality of telephone instruments located at different stations, two lines common to all of the stations, a home line for each station, a talking-battery for each station, a plurality of contactmaking devices at each station each connected to the home line of another station, additional contact devices for a plurality of such stations, each contact device and additional contact device adapted to be manually moved from normal position and automatically retracted to normal position, a common callplate at each station with which the contact devices at the station are adapted to make contact when manually operated, a common movable connector plate at each station adapted, when-in engaging position, to engage such contact devices and additional contact devices during the retractive movement thereof and to lock such contact devices and additional contact devices and to make contact .with such contact devices, and a receiver-hook at each station controlling the IOC connector-plate thereof to move the same out of engaging position when the receiver is placed upon the hook, each contact device being adapted to complete a calling-circuit to one of the other stations through the common call-plate and one of the common lines and one of the home lines and to complete a talking-circuit to such other station through the talking-battery and the movable connector-plate of the calling-station and one of the home lines and one of the common lines, and the additional contact devices of two stations which have been connected by the operation of one of the contact devices controlling the connections of such station so as to complete another talking-circuit through the talking-batteries and home lines of both stations, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a plurality of telephone instruments located at different stations, a plurality of contact-making devices at each station each connected to one of the other stations and each provided with areciprocatable stem having a contact enlargement thereon, a common call-plate at each station with which the contact-making devices at the station are adapted to make contact when operated, and a common oscillatable connector-plate of annular form at each station provided with a number of holes through which the contact enlargements of the contactmaking devices pass in paths permitting such contact enlargements to make electrical contact with the connector-plate when the contact devices arc released after operation thereof, and means for completing a callingcircuit from the calling-station to each other station through the common call-plate at the calling-station and the contact device connected to such other station and for completing a talking-circuit from the calling-station to each other station through the oscillatable connector-plate at the calling-station and the contact device connected to such other station.

7. The combination of a plurality of telephone instruments located at different stations, a pluralitT of contact-making devices at each station each provided with a reciprocatable stem having a contact enlargement thereon and each adapted to be manually moved from normal position and automatically retracted to normal position and each connected to one of the other stations, a common call plate at each station with which the contact devices are adapted to make contact when manually operated, a common oscillatable connector plate substantially in the form of an annular segment at each station provided with a number of holes through which the contact enlargements pass when the contact devices are manually operated, and such connectorplate being adapted when in engaging position to engage such contact enlargements during the retractive movements thereof and to lock and make electrical contact with such contact enlargements, and a receiver-hook at each station controlling the connector-plate` thereof to move the same out of engaging position when the receiver is placed upon. the hook, and means for completing a callingcircuit from the calling-station to each other station through the common call-plate at the calling-station and the contact device connected to such other station and for completing a talking circuit from the callingstation to each other station through ,the oscillatable connector-plate at the calling-station and the contact device connected to such other station.

8. The combination of a plurality of tele phone instruments located at different stations, a plurality of contact-making devices arranged in substantially circumferential order about a common center at each station and each including a reciprocatable stem carrying a conical contact enlargement and each adapted to be manually moved from normal position and automatically retracted to normal position and each contact-making device being connected to one of the other stations, a common call-plate at each station with which the contact-making devices are adapted to make electrical contact when manually operated, a common oscillatable connector -plate of substantially annular form at each station controlling the contactmaking devices of such station by engaging the conical enlargements thereof during the retractive movements thereof to lock and make electrical contact therewith., and such connector-plate having a number of holes having conical walls adapted when in engaging position to be engaged by the conical cnlargements of the contact-making devices to shift the connector-plate out of engaging position when a contact-making device is manually moved from its normal position, and a receiver-hook at each station controlling the connector-plate thereof to move the same out of engaging position when the receiver is placed upon the hook, and means for completing a calling-circuit from the calling-station to each other station through the common call-plate at the calling-station and the contact device connected to such other station and for completing a talking-circuit from the calling-station to each other station through the oscillatable connector-plate at the calling-station and the contact device connected to such other station.

9. A plurality of telephone instruments including a telephone instrument comprising a hollow substantially cylindrical base, a standard mounted on such base, a transmitter and a pivotal receiver-hook mounted on such standard, a plurality of contact-making devices disposed in substantially circumferential order within the hollow base and con- IOO IOS

telephones, a plurality of manually-opera tive devices arranged in substantially circumferential order and projecting through the top of the hollow base and coperative with the respective contact-making devices to operate the same, a common call-plate of substantially annular form arranged in the path of movement of all of the contact-mak- ,ing devices and connected to a common callbattery, the contact-making devices being adapted to make contact with the common call-plate when actuated by their respective manually-operative devices, means for retracting the contact-making devices after they have been manually operated, an annular oscillatable connector-plate arranged in the path of all of the contact-making devices and adapted when in engaging position to engage such contact-making devices during their retractive movements and to retain them in partially-retracted positions, and means actuative by the pivotal receiverhook for moving the connector-plate out of engaging position, call-circuit conductors for completing a calling-circuit through the common call-plate and any one of the contact devices coperative therewith and the other telephone instrument connected to such contact-making device, and circuit-` conductors for completing a talking-circuit through the connector-plate and any one of the contact -making devices coperative therewith and the other telephone to which such contact-making device is connected.

In testimony whereof we have aiiiXed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT S. DE VEAU. CHARLES AUTH.

Vitnesses:

HENRY D. VILLIAMs, HERBERT H. GIBBs. 

